Automatic expansion valve



1930- J. c. SCOVEL, JRI, E AL 1,773,534

AUTOMAT I C EXPANS ION VALVE Filed July 8, 1926 atented 19, 1930 umraoSTATES PATENT orrlca Jean 0. scov'nn; .13., AND wmrum .1.

OIBBIEN,- OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASBIGNOBB TO THE CREAMEBY PACKAGE MFG.COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or rumors Application filedJuly 8,

The inventionrelates more particularly to valves for the automatic.regulation of the supply of refrigerant to the evaporating coils inmechanical refrigerating systems.

Valves used to control the flow of refrigerant and other highly volatilefluids require nice adjustment between the valve and its seat forsatisfactory operation in the maintenance of uniform pressures in thepiping or other reservoir supplied thereby, particularly as, in the useof such fluids, slight variations in the opening of the valve aperturecauses material fluctuation in the pressures produced by the expansionof the uid flowing therefrom.

It is the principal object of'this invention to provide a valveconstruction in which the valve is positively controlled with respect toits operative movement in relation to its seat, but at the same time isfree for selfadjustment into accurate. alinement with the seat to assurea; complete sealing of the valve aperture when the valve is in seatedosition, and to prevent the uneven wear 0 the valve or seat on accountof uneven seating.

Other objects and advantages will be ap- 4 parent in the followingdetailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which wehave chosen for illustration in the accom anying drawings. It will beunderstood, owever, that various changes in form,

construction andarrangement may be made by thoseskilled in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as exressedin the appended claims.

eferring to the drawin s, Fig. 1.represents a sectlonal elevation o thevalve structure. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, and Figs.

3, 4 and 5 are detailed views of parts thereof.

In the drawin the numeral 1 indicates the bodyof a vafje casing having acentral chamber 2, at one end of which is supported a pressureresponsive diaphragm 3 retained in lipsition by means of a to cover 4secured to t e casing and clamping t e marginof the diaphragm as byscrews 5. The upper end of the casin chamber is suitably enlarged toaccommo ate the free movement of the dia hragm.

'l he top cover is provided with an exten- AUTOMATIC EXPANSION VALVE1926. Serial No. 121,085.

sion 6 forming a chamber 7 in axial extension of the casing chamber 2,within which is positioned a seat 8 bearing upon the outer surface ofthe diaphragm and supporting one end of a tension spring 9. The otherend of the tension sprmg is retained by a cap 10 having screw threadedengagement with the end of the cover extension 6, thereby providing forthe adjustment of the tension of the spring 9 against the diaphragm.

An inlet conduit 11 is positioned in an opening in the lateral wall ofthe casing, the conduit extending therethrough into the chamber 2 andhaving its inner end closed.

The conduit 11 is preferably removable, and is secured in normalposition by means of a cap 12, bearing in endward abutment upon theconduit 11- and secured to the casing by suitable means as by bolts (notshown). The.

cap 12 is provided with a bore 13 communieating with the bore 14 of theinlet conduit,

abutment with the diaphragm 3 in opposition to the seat plate 8, andhaving its opposite end 20 supporting the valve 17, preferabl with theinlet conduit 11 extending throng the central aperture formed in theyoke. The yoke 18 is suitably constructed for guidance upon the sidewalls of the chamber in its longitudinal movement therein by the sidemembers 21 and ide wings 22 Ma ted for sliding contact wlth the wall ofthe c amber.

The lower end portion 20 of the valve support is provided with anopening 23 therethrough, positioned axiall opposite the valve seat 16,and through w ich extends the stem of the valve 17, the diameter of thestem being substantially less'than'the diameter of the opening andpermitting free lateral movement of the valve stem within the opening.The valve 17 is supported upon the oke 18 by means of a flange 24 formedon .t e valve and abutting the outer side of the end portion 20 of theyoke, the abutting flat surfaces of the yoke end and the flange beingarran ed in perpendicular relation to the axis of t e valve and itsseat, so that the valve may slide laterally thereupon while in constantaxial or longitudinal relation to the yoke. The valve flange 24 ismaintained in constant abutment with the yoke by means of a tensionspring 25, hearing outwardly upon the flange 24 and retained at itsouter end by the bearing plug 26, preferably screw threaded 'into theend of the casing 1 and forming a closure of the chamber 2. The casing 1is provided with an outlet opening 27 in communication with theexpansion coils of the refrigerating system by means of a pipeconnection 28.

By this construction it will be obvious that with the movement of theyoke 18 by the diaphra 3, under the influence of the pressure wit in thechamber 2, the valve 17 will be actuated longitudinally in constantrelation to the diaphragm 3, but that any lateral variation from axialalinement between the valve and its seat is readily and automaticallyadjusted by the shifting of the valve flange across the face of theabutting end of the yoke. By this means the axes of the valve and itsseat are always parallel, and the valve finds its seat withoutwearingfriction and in complete closure thereof.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an automatic expansion valve, a centrally open guide yokelaterally supported for longitudinal movement, pressure responsive meansat one end of said yoke operable to move said yoke longitudinally, theother end of said oke havin a plane outer surface perpen icular to t elongitudinal axis of said'yoke and having an axial opening through saidplane surface, a stationary conduit extending into said central openlngin said yoke' and having an aperture forming a vconical valve seathaving its axis parallel to the axis of said yoke and opening towardsaid axial opening in said yoke end, a valve havin a conically formedend in operative contro g relation to said valve seat, said valveextending through said axial opening in said yoke end inlaterally spacedrelation thereto, a flange formed on said valve outwardly of said yokeend and having a plane surface adapted for tree abutment with the planesurface of said yoke, said abutment being efiective to maintain the axisof said conical valve end in arallel relation to the axis of said yokean saidvalve seat 'while permittin relative lateral movement of saidvalve, fin resilient means tending to move said v into said valve seatan to main.-

tain the laterally slidable abutment between said flange and said yokeend.

' 2.- In an automatic expansion valve, a con trally open longitudinallymovable guide yoke having an end portion outwardly provided with a lanesurface erpendicular to the axis of sai yoke, said ens portion having anaxial opening through said plane surface, and a valve'extending throughsaid axial openin and lateral] movable therewithin, said va ve having aange in outward laterally free abutment with said plane surface, saidabutment being efiective to-maintain the axis of said valve in constanttion to the axis of said yoke whi e permitting relative lateral movementtherebetween.

3. In a gas pressure re lator, in combination, a body having a wor gpressure chamber and gas exit nozzle therein, a regulating valve forsaid nozzle mounted in an unguided manner on the body for movementtoward and from the nozzle, an independent actuating member for saidvalve having contact therewith and movable toward and from the valve andfreely shiftable transversely to the direction of its movement whileenga in the valve and comprising a yoke stra dlm the nozzle and coactingwith the valve at diametrically opposite the points thereof.

4. In a gas regulator, a body provided with a chamber for the workingressure of the gas a gas nozzle in said cham r, and a freely floatingresiliently supported valve cooperating with said nozzle and mounted forfree movement angularly to its path of travel toward said nozzle.

5. In a gas regulator, a body provided with a chamber for the workinpressure of the gas, a gas nozzle in said c amber, a freely floatingvalve cooperating with said nozzle, a support for said valve permittinguniversal movement of said valve relative to the nozzle, and an unguidedvalve actuatin member controlling the operation of sai valve.

6. In a gas regulator, a body provided with a chamber for the workingpressure of the gas, a gas nozzle in said chamber, a freely oating valvecoo ratin with said nozzle and movable angu arl re ative to its path oftravel, and a freely oating valve actuatin member coacting with saidvalve to contro its cooperation with the nozzle.

In witness whereof we have hereunto attached our signatures. 1

JOHN C. SCOVEL Jn. vmLIAM J. OBRiEN.

arallel rela-

